Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated Honduras Indigenous & Environmental Leader
[ http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/4/re ... -191067101 ]
March 04, 2016
Honduran indigenous and environmental organizer Berta Cáceres has been assassinated in her home in Honduras. She was one of the leading organizers for indigenous land rights in Honduras. In 1993, she co-founded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras, or COPINH. For years, the group faced death threats and repression as they stood up to mining and dam projects that threatened to destroy their community. Last year, Cáceres won the Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s leading environmental award.
WATCH: We hear Cáceres in her own words and speak to her nephew, Silvio Carrillo, and her longtime friend Beverly Bell.
[ http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/4/re ... -191067101 ]
One year later . . .Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated
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• Page 1 of 1
One year later . . .Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated
by Oscar » Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:22 pm
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Re: Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated Honduras Leader
by Oscar » Sat Mar 05, 2016 8:02 am
Council of Canadians condemns the murder of Berta Cáceres
[ http://canadians.org/blog/council-canad ... C3%A1ceres ]
March 4, 2016 - 10:44 am
Cáceres: "We must undertake the struggle in all parts of the world, wherever we may be, because we have no other spare or replacement planet. We have only this one, and we have to take action."
The Council of Canadians condemns the murder of Berta Cáceres.
The Guardian reports, "Berta Cáceres, the Honduran indigenous and environmental rights campaigner, has been murdered, barely a week after she was threatened for opposing a hydroelectric project. Her death prompted international outrage at the murderous treatment of campaigners in Honduras, as well as a flood of tributes to a prominent and courageous defender of the natural world. The co-founder of the Council of Indigenous Peoples of Honduras (Copinh) was shot dead by gunmen who entered her home in La Esperanza at around 1am on Thursday. Some reports say there were two killers; others suggest 11." [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/m ... man-rights ]
Our ally Friends of the Earth-Mexico activist Gustavo Castro Soto was also injured in the attack.
The article adds, "Last year, Cáceres – who is a member of the Lenca indigenous group, the largest in Honduras – was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to one of Central America’s biggest hydropower projects, the Agua Zarca cascade of four giant dams in the Gualcarque river basin. The campaign has held up the project, which is being built by local firm DESA with the backing of international engineering and finance companies, and prompted the withdrawal of China’s Sinohydro and the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation."
In June 2013, the Council of Canadians responded to a call from Friends of the Earth International and signed an open letter demanding the release of Cáceres who had been illegally detained by the army and police while en route to a protest against the proposed Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam.
The Guardian also highlights, "Between 2010 and 2014, 101 campaigners were killed in Honduras, a higher death toll relative to population than anywhere else, according to the study How Many More? by NGO Global Witness. It said a disproportionately high number of them were from indigenous communities who resisted development projects or the encroachment of farms on their territory."
The Council of Canadians has argued that Canadian investments are contributing to social conflict in Honduras, particularly in the mining, export manufacturing and tourism sectors.
The Canadian government provided technical assistance and support for the General Mining and Hydrocarbons Law, passed in Jan. 2013. Notably, the new mining law lifted a seven-year moratorium on new mining projects and earmarks 2 per cent of the royalties paid by extractive companies for a Security Tax to help fund Honduran state security. The law paves the way for new mining projects which have given rise to increased conflict and militarization of affected communities where mining projects operate. According to the Honduras Documentation Centre, 52 per cent of all conflict in Honduras is rooted in natural resource management.
In Feb. 2014, we joined with other civil society organizations from Canada and Quebec to express our concern that the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement would further undermine human rights and democracy in Honduras. Since the 2009 military coup against democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya, violence and repression have reached an all-time high. Along with Cáceres, human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, members of the LGBTQ community, the Garifuna, Indigenous people, union leaders, farmers and journalists are being systematically threatened or killed.
Today, the Council of Canadians signed an open-letter with Common Frontiers, the British Columbia Teachers' Federation, the United Church of Canada, the United Steelworkers and others condemning Cáceres's murder.
The funeral for Cáceres will be held tomorrow.
Tags: Blue Planet Project (BPP):
[ http://canadians.org/tags/bpp ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
[ http://canadians.org/blog/council-canad ... C3%A1ceres ]
March 4, 2016 - 10:44 am
Cáceres: "We must undertake the struggle in all parts of the world, wherever we may be, because we have no other spare or replacement planet. We have only this one, and we have to take action."
The Council of Canadians condemns the murder of Berta Cáceres.
The Guardian reports, "Berta Cáceres, the Honduran indigenous and environmental rights campaigner, has been murdered, barely a week after she was threatened for opposing a hydroelectric project. Her death prompted international outrage at the murderous treatment of campaigners in Honduras, as well as a flood of tributes to a prominent and courageous defender of the natural world. The co-founder of the Council of Indigenous Peoples of Honduras (Copinh) was shot dead by gunmen who entered her home in La Esperanza at around 1am on Thursday. Some reports say there were two killers; others suggest 11." [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/m ... man-rights ]
Our ally Friends of the Earth-Mexico activist Gustavo Castro Soto was also injured in the attack.
The article adds, "Last year, Cáceres – who is a member of the Lenca indigenous group, the largest in Honduras – was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to one of Central America’s biggest hydropower projects, the Agua Zarca cascade of four giant dams in the Gualcarque river basin. The campaign has held up the project, which is being built by local firm DESA with the backing of international engineering and finance companies, and prompted the withdrawal of China’s Sinohydro and the World Bank’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation."
In June 2013, the Council of Canadians responded to a call from Friends of the Earth International and signed an open letter demanding the release of Cáceres who had been illegally detained by the army and police while en route to a protest against the proposed Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam.
The Guardian also highlights, "Between 2010 and 2014, 101 campaigners were killed in Honduras, a higher death toll relative to population than anywhere else, according to the study How Many More? by NGO Global Witness. It said a disproportionately high number of them were from indigenous communities who resisted development projects or the encroachment of farms on their territory."
The Council of Canadians has argued that Canadian investments are contributing to social conflict in Honduras, particularly in the mining, export manufacturing and tourism sectors.
The Canadian government provided technical assistance and support for the General Mining and Hydrocarbons Law, passed in Jan. 2013. Notably, the new mining law lifted a seven-year moratorium on new mining projects and earmarks 2 per cent of the royalties paid by extractive companies for a Security Tax to help fund Honduran state security. The law paves the way for new mining projects which have given rise to increased conflict and militarization of affected communities where mining projects operate. According to the Honduras Documentation Centre, 52 per cent of all conflict in Honduras is rooted in natural resource management.
In Feb. 2014, we joined with other civil society organizations from Canada and Quebec to express our concern that the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement would further undermine human rights and democracy in Honduras. Since the 2009 military coup against democratically-elected President Manuel Zelaya, violence and repression have reached an all-time high. Along with Cáceres, human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, members of the LGBTQ community, the Garifuna, Indigenous people, union leaders, farmers and journalists are being systematically threatened or killed.
Today, the Council of Canadians signed an open-letter with Common Frontiers, the British Columbia Teachers' Federation, the United Church of Canada, the United Steelworkers and others condemning Cáceres's murder.
The funeral for Cáceres will be held tomorrow.
Tags: Blue Planet Project (BPP):
[ http://canadians.org/tags/bpp ]
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9103
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
Re: Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated Honduras Leader
by Oscar » Sat Mar 05, 2016 8:06 am
Assassination of Berta Cáceres
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/3/3/ass ... ta-c-ceres ]
Shocking and terribly sad news from the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras:
Jen Moore March 3, 2016
This evening at approximately midnight, the General Coordinator of COPINH, Berta Cáceres was assassinated in her hometown of La Esperanza, Intibucá. At least two individuals broke down the door of the house where Berta was staying for the evening in the Residencial La Líbano, shot and killed her. COPINH is urgently responding to this tragic situation.
Berta Cáceres was one of the leading indigenous activists in Honduras. She spent her life fighting in defence of indigenous rights, particularly to land and natural resources. In 2015, Berta won the Goldman Prize for her outstanding activism and leadership. Her death will have a profound impact on the many Lenca communities that she worked with, COPINH, the Honduran social movement, and all that knew her.
Berta Cáceres and COPINH have been accompanying various land struggles throughout western Honduras. In the last few weeks, violence and repression towards Berta, COPINH, and the communities they support, had escalated. In Rio Blanco on February 20th, Berta, COPINH, and the community of Rio Blanco faced threats and repression as they carried out a peaceful action to protect the River Gualcarque against the construction of a hydroelectric dam by the internationally-financed Honduran company DESA. As a result of COPINH’s work supporting the Rio Blanco struggle, Berta had received countless threats against her life and was granted precautionary measures by the InterAmerican Commission for Human Rights. On February 25th, another Lenca community supported by COPINH in Guise, Intibuca was violently evicted and destroyed.
It is urgent to demand a thorough and immediate investigation of the circumstances surrounding Berta’s death.
COPINH will send out more information as it becomes available.
- - - -
Jen Moore - Latin America Program Coordinator Jennifer Moore works to support communities, organizations, and networks in the region struggling with mining conflicts.
- - - -
Related
Blog Entry Urgent Action: Urge immediate protection for Gustavo Castro, injured during the assassination of Berta Caceres - 03.03.2016
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/3/3/urg ... assination ]
Blog Entry Community Fears Toronto-based Aura Minerals Preparing to Illegally Remove Cemetery in Honduras with Military Support - 12.02.2016
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/2/12/co ... e-cemetery ]
Blog Entry Honduran organizations fight to have Canadian-backed mining law declared unconstitutional - 26.02.2015
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2015/2/26/ho ... w-declared ]
Blog Entry Honduran Organizations Demand Support for Farming Not Mining in Protest of World Bank Sponsored Event - 09.02.2015
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2015/2/9/hon ... -sponsored ]
News Blood for gold: The human cost of Canada’s ‘free trade’ with Honduras - 10.11.2014
[ http://miningwatch.ca/news/2014/11/10/b ... e-honduras ]
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/3/3/ass ... ta-c-ceres ]
Shocking and terribly sad news from the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras:
Jen Moore March 3, 2016
This evening at approximately midnight, the General Coordinator of COPINH, Berta Cáceres was assassinated in her hometown of La Esperanza, Intibucá. At least two individuals broke down the door of the house where Berta was staying for the evening in the Residencial La Líbano, shot and killed her. COPINH is urgently responding to this tragic situation.
Berta Cáceres was one of the leading indigenous activists in Honduras. She spent her life fighting in defence of indigenous rights, particularly to land and natural resources. In 2015, Berta won the Goldman Prize for her outstanding activism and leadership. Her death will have a profound impact on the many Lenca communities that she worked with, COPINH, the Honduran social movement, and all that knew her.
Berta Cáceres and COPINH have been accompanying various land struggles throughout western Honduras. In the last few weeks, violence and repression towards Berta, COPINH, and the communities they support, had escalated. In Rio Blanco on February 20th, Berta, COPINH, and the community of Rio Blanco faced threats and repression as they carried out a peaceful action to protect the River Gualcarque against the construction of a hydroelectric dam by the internationally-financed Honduran company DESA. As a result of COPINH’s work supporting the Rio Blanco struggle, Berta had received countless threats against her life and was granted precautionary measures by the InterAmerican Commission for Human Rights. On February 25th, another Lenca community supported by COPINH in Guise, Intibuca was violently evicted and destroyed.
It is urgent to demand a thorough and immediate investigation of the circumstances surrounding Berta’s death.
COPINH will send out more information as it becomes available.
- - - -
Jen Moore - Latin America Program Coordinator Jennifer Moore works to support communities, organizations, and networks in the region struggling with mining conflicts.
- - - -
Related
Blog Entry Urgent Action: Urge immediate protection for Gustavo Castro, injured during the assassination of Berta Caceres - 03.03.2016
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/3/3/urg ... assination ]
Blog Entry Community Fears Toronto-based Aura Minerals Preparing to Illegally Remove Cemetery in Honduras with Military Support - 12.02.2016
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2016/2/12/co ... e-cemetery ]
Blog Entry Honduran organizations fight to have Canadian-backed mining law declared unconstitutional - 26.02.2015
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2015/2/26/ho ... w-declared ]
Blog Entry Honduran Organizations Demand Support for Farming Not Mining in Protest of World Bank Sponsored Event - 09.02.2015
[ http://miningwatch.ca/blog/2015/2/9/hon ... -sponsored ]
News Blood for gold: The human cost of Canada’s ‘free trade’ with Honduras - 10.11.2014
[ http://miningwatch.ca/news/2014/11/10/b ... e-honduras ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9103
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
Re: Remembering Berta Cáceres, Assassinated Honduras Leader
by Oscar » Fri Mar 03, 2017 8:44 pm
One year after the murder of Berta Cáceres, the anti-dam struggle in Honduras continues
[ http://canadians.org/blog/one-year-afte ... -continues ]
March 3, 2017 - 12:04 pm
The Council of Canadians at a rally in Toronto demanding justice for Berta Cáceres, March 2016.
Today is the one year anniversary of the murder of Indigenous activist Berta Cáceres in Honduras.
The Guardian now reports, "Leaked court documents raise concerns that the murder of Cáceres was an extrajudicial killing planned by military intelligence specialists linked to the country’s US–trained special forces. Cáceres was shot dead a year ago while supposedly under state protection after receiving death threats over her opposition to a hydroelectric dam."
Cáceres had been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to the Agua Zarca dams in the Gualcarque river basin.
The New York Times explains, "The Agua Zarca Dam [would be situated on] the Gualcarque River, which is sacred to the Lenca people. ...Since 2013, Ms. Cáceres’ organization, the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras [COPINH], has protested to try to stop the dam’s construction. Under international law, indigenous groups must be consulted on projects that affect their lands, but the Lenca say they were not consulted about the dam. They maintain that the 22MW hydroelectric project, which would create a 300-meter long reservoir and divert 3 kilometers of the river, will jeopardize their water resources and their livelihood."
The project is being led by Desarrollos Energéticos SA, (Desa) with the backing of international engineering and finance companies.
The Council of Canadians opposes the construction of the Agua Zarca Dam and calls on the Honduran government to respect the Honduran government to respect the right of the Lenca people to free, prior and informed consent. In June 2013, we signed an open letter demanding the release of Cáceres who had been illegally detained by the army and police while en route to a protest against the proposed dams.
Cáceres' organization, COPINH, is also opposed to the construction of the Canjel River Hydroelectric Project on Lenca territory in Honduras. Hydrosys, a Canadian company, is involved in the construction of this dam.
We call on the Trudeau government to publicly pressure Honduran authorities to suspend, review and annul all hydroelectric and mining concessions on Lenca territory granted without their free, prior and informed consent.
Since the coup in Honduras in 2009, more than 100 environmental activists have been murdered. During this same period, Canadian authorities pushed for a new mining law and negotiated a free trade agreement with Honduras.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
[ http://canadians.org/blog/one-year-afte ... -continues ]
March 3, 2017 - 12:04 pm
The Council of Canadians at a rally in Toronto demanding justice for Berta Cáceres, March 2016.
Today is the one year anniversary of the murder of Indigenous activist Berta Cáceres in Honduras.
The Guardian now reports, "Leaked court documents raise concerns that the murder of Cáceres was an extrajudicial killing planned by military intelligence specialists linked to the country’s US–trained special forces. Cáceres was shot dead a year ago while supposedly under state protection after receiving death threats over her opposition to a hydroelectric dam."
Cáceres had been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her opposition to the Agua Zarca dams in the Gualcarque river basin.
The New York Times explains, "The Agua Zarca Dam [would be situated on] the Gualcarque River, which is sacred to the Lenca people. ...Since 2013, Ms. Cáceres’ organization, the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras [COPINH], has protested to try to stop the dam’s construction. Under international law, indigenous groups must be consulted on projects that affect their lands, but the Lenca say they were not consulted about the dam. They maintain that the 22MW hydroelectric project, which would create a 300-meter long reservoir and divert 3 kilometers of the river, will jeopardize their water resources and their livelihood."
The project is being led by Desarrollos Energéticos SA, (Desa) with the backing of international engineering and finance companies.
The Council of Canadians opposes the construction of the Agua Zarca Dam and calls on the Honduran government to respect the Honduran government to respect the right of the Lenca people to free, prior and informed consent. In June 2013, we signed an open letter demanding the release of Cáceres who had been illegally detained by the army and police while en route to a protest against the proposed dams.
Cáceres' organization, COPINH, is also opposed to the construction of the Canjel River Hydroelectric Project on Lenca territory in Honduras. Hydrosys, a Canadian company, is involved in the construction of this dam.
We call on the Trudeau government to publicly pressure Honduran authorities to suspend, review and annul all hydroelectric and mining concessions on Lenca territory granted without their free, prior and informed consent.
Since the coup in Honduras in 2009, more than 100 environmental activists have been murdered. During this same period, Canadian authorities pushed for a new mining law and negotiated a free trade agreement with Honduras.
Brent Patterson's blog
Political Director of the Council of Canadians
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9103
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
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